Steam engines, Skullgirls, and Universes

NWR Diversions 1: Ffarquhar

The Ffarquhar branchline was in the middle of a locomotive crisis. With half of their fleet of engines gone, poor Daisy and Percy were working harder than ever. Daisy took Annie and Clarabel on her runs, she was the main engine taking over Thomas' passengers. Her run would take her to Knapford, then to Tidmouth. She would rest there then go back up in an hour, but with her taking Thomas' passengers her rest time was practically gone as Thomas would take passengers before Daisy got back to the junction. Now she had to hurry her way back to the junction to meet with the usual time table. Percy didn't have a better time. Toby would collect stone from the Ffarquhar quarry and deliver it to the harbor. He had to cover for Toby's job now while juggling his own goods work. They were feeling quite worn by the week's end.

The fat controller decided it would be best to relocate other engines to help on the branchline. Mavis worked at the quarry as its shunter, but the fat controller asked is she could run the stones to the harbor herself. She was thrilled with this and enjoyed her new arrangement enormously. Soon he arranged for another engine from the branchline that ran along the west coast of Sodor, one that shared a history with Percy. He was a pannier tank engine who carried the G.W.R letters on his side and the number 5741.

"Duck. What a wonderful surprise." Percy said.

"Hello Percy, it has been a good while since we got to work together." Duck said warmly. "I'll be helping out here while Thomas is gone." Percy looked down. Duck realized what he had said, it had been over a week since Thomas' disappearance and Percy was worried sick.

"Listen Percy. They'll turn up eventually, I'm sure they will." Duck said, Percy looked up and gave his friend a small smile.

Duck would take on Thomas' jobs on the branchline. He did things professionally and without fuss. Annie and Clarabel enjoyed his company, he reminded them of Thomas. Duck got along with all, although he had a habit of mentioning the old Great Western Railway and how they did things over there. It took no time to annoy Daisy.

"No, no, no. You're doing it all wrong." Duck told her. "You just stroll along the line as if you don't have a time to stick to. That would never do on the Great Western."

"Grrrr." Daisy growled. "I am not Great western if you couldn't get that through to your smokebox Duck, and I don't do things the same as they did them!" she snapped.

"That would explain your less than impressive performance." Duck said. Daisy was furious, she said nothing more and flounced away.

Later on Duck gave Mavis grief as well. Mavis was young and full of her own ideas. She loved rearranging things, much to Duck's annoyance.

"Those cattle vans are suppose to be on the other siding, why aren't they there?" he asked Mavis.

"It's to make it easier for me to collect the empty trucks and take them back to the quarry, saves me some fuel." she explained, but Duck was having none of it.

"Poor Percy has worked his wheels off, put everything back to the way it was and stop being lazy. That would never do on the GWR." he scolded. Mavis grew cross and begrudgingly did so.

That night, Daisy and Mavis were discussing the Duck situation.

"That Duck really thinks he knows everything!" Daisy fumed.

"I know." Mavis said. "He told me 'Make sure you deliver it on time, Toby would never dally, and I expect you to do the same.' I was refueling, what did he want me to run on empty?"

The both agreed that something needed to happen to shut Duck up, but they didn't know what.

The next morning Duck was waiting at Ffarquhar for Mavis to pass with her empty quarry trucks. She was running a little bit behind schedule and naturally this made Duck cross. When Mavis finally arrived Duck made sure to give her an ear full.

"What's with all this? I've told you to stop dallying about the line."

"Percy was running late because of-"

"Don't you drag poor Percy into your mess." Mavis didn't see the point in trying to explain. "Now because of you I need to try to make up for lost time." Daisy overheard this and spoke up.

"I'd keep my eye out if I were you."

"For what?" Duck asked.

"Near Hackenbeck there's a farm, cattle have been known to jump the fence."

"They're just cows, they would just move aside if I whistle at them." Duck scoffed and puffed away, leaving both very cross. Mavis looked at Daisy in her shed, she looked at her and rolled her eyes. Mavis knew what she was saying.

It was true that cattle would jump the fence on the hill of Hackenbeck just outside the tunnel. Today things would be worse. The fence was worn and brittle. The farmer was rounding up his live stock, a cow was frighten and broke through the fence. Others followed him down the hill and onto the track. Duck came around the bend and was stopped by the herd of cows. He whistled.

"Peep-Peep! Move aside." He said firmly, but the cows didn't listen. They continue to graze the weeds. Duck tried again, but still they did not move. Soon Ffarquhar station was informed about the situation and sent Daisy up to help set things right.

Meanwhile Duck was sitting there feeling miserable. He didn't feel like he was doing it the great western way anymore. Daisy rolled up behind his train.

"So is this part of the Great Western Way Duck? Getting stopped by some stray cows, not to impressive." Daisy said. Duck didn't say anything. "Let me show you how we do things our way." Daisy honked her horn loudly. The cows weren't used to Daisy's horn and were frightened by it. The farmers used this to herd their cattle back up the hill and back into the ranch. The line was clear and Duck was off again.

Duck got to the junction a little late, but the passengers didn't complain to him. Duck found new respect for Daisy and asked her if she could teach him how to handle stray live stock. She was more than happy to teach him. In no time Duck learned how to handle stray cattle on the line. Things went a lot smoother on their line for the rest of his stay, and there was no more talk of doing things the Great Western Way.